1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to databases and, more particularly, to synchronizing a remote database with a local database.
2. Description of the Background Art
Mobile devices are in common usage, many featuring powerful processors, larger and more colorful displays, and wireless networking capabilities. Despite these advances in mobile technology, mobile devices typically have greater limitations on memory capacity and networkability than workstation computers. Given the versatility of mobile devices, it is helpful to implement a means by which these mobile devices can interact with data sets larger than any it could manage on its own, and doing so in the context of potentially intermittent, unreliable, or unavailable networking capabilities.
Interaction using data sets exchanged between mobile devices and central servers often occurs in the context of exchanges of information stored in databases. Mobile devices often retain a copy of some or all of the data found in the central database in a local database for local access. However, inefficiencies abound given the limitations of mobile devices. Additionally, mobile devices may run a variety of operating systems, software suites, and programming frameworks.
Accordingly, what is desired is a means of efficiently synchronizing a local database on a mobile device with a central database.